Years of service 1916 - 1918 Name Harold Roberts Awards Medal of Honor | Battles/wars World War I Battles and wars World War I Rank Corporal Died October 6, 1918, France | |
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Born October 14, 1895
San Francisco, California ( 1895-10-14 ) Place of burial Meuse-Argonne American Cemetery and Memorial, Romagne, France | ||
Allegiance United States of America Service/branch United States Army | ||
Harold W. Roberts (October 14, 1895 – October 6, 1918) was a United States Army Corporal and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his actions in World War I.
Camp Roberts, California was named after him.
Medal of Honor citation
Rank and organization: Corporal, U.S. Army Company A, 344th Battalion, Tank Corps. Place and date: In the Montrebeau Woods France 4 October 1918. Entered service at: San Francisco, Calif. Birth: San Francisco, Calif. G.O. No.: 16, W.D., 1919.
Citation:
Cpl. Roberts, a tank driver, was moving his tank into a clump of bushes to afford protection to another tank which had become disabled. The tank slid into a shell hole, 10 feet deep, filled with water, and was immediately submerged. Knowing that only 1 of the 2 men in the tank could escape, Cpl. Roberts said to the gunner, "Well, only one of us can get out, and out you go," whereupon he pushed his companion through the back door of the tank and was himself drowned.